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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26570278">We are lightning, straying from the thunder</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/goodbyelover/pseuds/goodbyelover'>goodbyelover</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Stray Kids (Band)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - RWBY, Animal Traits, Bang Chan-centric, Combat as a sport, Lee Felix (Stray Kids) is a Sweetheart, Light-Hearted, M/M, Minor Injuries, Non-Graphic Violence, Pining, Pre-Relationship, Science Fiction &amp; Fantasy, Semblance (RWBY), Team Bonding, Tournaments, Warm and Fuzzy Feelings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-09-20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-09-27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 10:48:58</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>18,181</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26570278</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/goodbyelover/pseuds/goodbyelover</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Gembright Academy, with its glimmering towers and lush grounds, looks perhaps even more opulent than it had when they’d left. Silver lanterns dot the grounds, blazing bright as the sun sets on the horizon, their glow lacing through the beautiful gardens and brightening the fountains that decorate the courtyards. It warms Chan through to his fingertips at the sight, sets his tail wagging because finally, they’re returning to a place that feels like home.</p><p>Or: Team Levanter returns just in time to compete in a prestigious tournament but also there's Felix.</p><p>(Or: 3racha and Danceracha duke it out and Chan feels all the things.)</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Bang Chan/Lee Felix</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>141</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Returning to a place called home</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Me in July: Let me write this little 3k fic to get skz out of my system so I can go back to my regular wips<br/>Me now: I have made so many mistakes (and so many skz wips)</p><p>1. I wanted to reassure that despite all the tags, this is not a super serious or heavily violent fic, though it features several fight scenes. Everyone's okay! They do it for fun! (Also contextually everyone's between the ages of 19-21ish)</p><p>2. You don't need to have seen RWBY to understand this fic (and I did mess around with the world to suit my fancy.) But! If you do want to learn some basics, here's a short video on <a href="https://youtu.be/SsAG3QHAu5w">Aura/Semblance</a>, <a href="https://youtu.be/ts106QFjF3k">Dust</a>, and <a href="https://youtu.be/F_h4CKLOqj8">Faunus</a>. Also have a <a href="https://youtu.be/OPjcCkMYYzY">RWBY fight scene</a> because they're cool.</p><p>3. Title taken from 'This Will Be The Day' off RWBY Season 1 OST.</p><p>Beta'd by the ever lovely @maricolous! Thanks for reading! ♥</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“You know,” Jisung says, stepping off the shuttle and onto the pristine marble landing with a bounce, “For some reason I expected it to look completely different after being gone for so long. Like maybe it’d suddenly be made of black marble or something.”</p><p>Right behind him, Chan pauses to take in the sprawling sight of Gembright Academy, the wolf ears atop his head softly twitching forward with curiosity. </p><p>Gembright Academy, with its glimmering towers and lush grounds, looks perhaps even more opulent than it had when they’d left. Silver lanterns dot the grounds, blazing bright as the sun sets on the horizon, their glow lacing through the beautiful gardens and brightening the fountains that decorate the courtyards. It warms Chan through to his fingertips at the sight, sets his tail wagging because <em>finally, </em>they’re returning to a place that feels like home.</p><p>Coming up at the rear, Younghyun chuckles in amusement. “Gembright’s stood for decades,” he reminds them. “It would take much longer than a few seasons to make it change.”</p><p>A tinny automated voice plays through a nearby speaker. “<em>Welcome to Gembright Academy, home to the Vernalys Festival. We hope you enjoy your stay. Please be reminded that while use of Semblance is not prohibited, violent or confrontational displays of Semblances may result in your removal from this campus. Please keep all weapons stowed unless in the appropriate areas, all of which have been marked on campus maps and clearly labeled on building exteriors. Again, we hope you enjoy your stay here.</em>”</p><p>There’s an attendant waiting at the base of the landing pad, hand held out expectantly for their security clearance, and Chan is quick to hand his scroll over to her, the scanner briefly flashing over each of their profiles before giving a green checkmark. </p><p>“Team Levanter of Gembright?” she confirms before flashing them all a bright smile as she returns Chan’s scroll. “Welcome back. Please enjoy the festival.”</p><p>“Thanks,” Chan says, shoving his scroll back in his pocket and nudging Changbin and Jisung ahead of him.</p><p>“There’s so many people here,” Changbin mutters, tugging at his collar in wary discomfort as they watch the busy thoroughfare laid out before them. It’s true, Gembright’s grounds have transformed from school grounds to a bubbling celebration with booths and stages dispersed throughout for the equinox’s festivities. It’s the most people they’ve seen since the brief vacation they’d taken in a border town nearly two months prior.</p><p>“With the increase in Grimm sightings and a difficult winter, I’m sure everyone’s just glad to have something to look forward to,” Younghyun says as they step away from the shuttle landing and onto the grounds themselves. The sound of music and laughter lilts through the air and Chan feels something surge inside him in tandem with their mentor’s words, just as eager to bask in such frivolities after nearly eight months spent traveling the Barren – a desolate wasteland outside of the Kingdom of Mantle.</p><p>Jisung is similarly caught up in the euphoria, grabbing Changbin’s arm and dragging him along. “Ahhh, do you think they’ll still have potato crisps this late in the day?”</p><p>“Maybe? But I’d rather see if they have tarts.”</p><p>“Potatoes first!”</p><p>Younghyun snorts and claps Chan on the shoulder. “You’re in charge, team captain. I’ve got to go check in with the Headmaster. Try and get into bed before dawn, alright? I think it’d be good to watch the Silver and Gold tier preliminaries as a warm-up tomorrow.”</p><p>“You got it, boss,” Chan laughs, giving Younghyun a salute before jogging to catch up with his teammates in their search for either potato or tarts. He’s content to follow, letting the two of them tussle, watching Changbin give up after a few seconds of concerted effort because it isn’t worth fighting when Jisung sets his mind to something.</p><p>“Did Younghyun say if we have morning training?” Changbin asks, falling back in step with Chan as Jisung leads them on a merry chase for potato crisps. “Please tell me he isn’t making us wake up early on our first day back.”</p><p>“Nah,” Chan reassures him. “Just that we should watch the preliminaries for Gold and Silver. That’s a whole extra three hours. Four, if you’re willing to skip breakfast.”</p><p>Changbin clutches his chest in dramatic relief. “There must be a god.”</p><p>It isn’t without cause – their regimen for the past two seasons has been rigid and unforgiving. Chan just loops an easy arm around Changbin’s shoulder, the two of them trailing after Jisung. </p><p>The Barren is an unforgiving place and even with Younghyun’s guidance, there hadn’t been much room for relaxation. Too many close calls, too many narrow misses. </p><p>Even months later, Chan can still vividly remember one specific morning, waking to a Manticore Grimm roaring as it tried to furiously divebomb their hideout. They’d made quick work of the vile creature, but the unease of the situation had been hard to shake – Chan finding it especially difficult to tamp down the guilt that lingered at the edges of his mind, wondering if it had been his own gloomy mood that had drawn the Manticore in like a moth to a flame. He’d been feeling a bout of homesickness, melancholic ache set deep in his chest. It had passed, but it took a touch longer for Chan to shed the guilt that he’d potentially put his friends and the research team in danger.</p><p>Still, that’s in the past and now Chan’s back at Gembright. He might as well make the most of it. </p><p>“Aw, we get to watch the babies,” Jisung coos, turning to walk backwards while talking to them. “That’ll be fun.”</p><p>Changbin scoffs lightly, kicking a stray pebble. “I bet half of them are older than you.”</p><p>“They’re still babies,” Jisung insists, and he’s not wrong. Each team has to take a placement test to figure out which tier they qualify for in the Hunter’s Cup – Silver, Gold, and the ever prestigious Platinum. Preliminaries are always a weeding out of the weakest students, especially for the Silver tier, due to the fact that most new teams are placed.</p><p>“<em>I’m</em> a baby,” Changbin replies, pitching his voice higher as he sticks his bottom lip out, even as Jisung slaps his chest in exasperation. </p><p>Luckily the booths do still have crispy potatoes, along with Changbin’s tarts, and enough slabs of grilled meat to satisfy Chan’s more carnivorous tendencies. The comfort of it all is enough to get Changbin to brighten, joining Jisung and Chan as they’re buoyed along by the atmosphere. It’s delightful and Chan wishes he could wrap himself up in the buzzing conversation that blankets them, take cover in the deluge of fantastical smells. Normally he finds crowds overwhelming, but it’s been a long two seasons in the Barren, in a hostile wasteland where everything wants to kill you if it can find you. Gembright is warm, safe, and <em>home.</em></p><p>They continue to wander, arms laden with delicious food and delicacies, searching eagerly for something to hold their attention.</p><p>“Should we see if any of the stageplays are–” Jisung begins before abruptly halting in his tracks, Changbin and Chan both having to veer abruptly to the sides in order to avoid disaster. Not paying either of them any mind, Jisung starts waving his arm. “Hey! <em>Hey</em>! Hyunjin! You fucker!”</p><p>All around them heads turn to stare and Chan’s grey-furred ears flatten briefly before he frees a hand to smack at Jisung’s shoulder, hissing for him to pipe down, knowing that as Levanter’s team captain it falls to him to maintain decorum. </p><p>Jisung pays him no mind, still waving. Sure enough, Hyunjin pauses from where he’s walking down the path ahead of them, similarly laden with a box of pastries and several drinks, to peer at them, lips set in a bemused line and eyes gleaming. </p><p>“Hey, pipsqueak,” he greets, and Jisung scampers over, too pleased to mind. “Long time, no see.”</p><p>Seeing Hyunjin is the first real and tangible proof of how long they’ve been away from Gembright, something that hits Chan just as they catch up with the other student. He’s grown, filling out his frame, somehow even more beautiful than before, which is something Chan had previously thought impossible. It shows in ways beyond the soft locks of hair nearly down to his shoulders or the sleek muscle he’s built – Hyunjin has traded some of his delicate boyhood for something different, something <em>more</em>. Something that’s sharpened his eyes and filled in his shoulders with a confidence that he had not quite owned before, though he’d been good at pretending. Chan wonders if Jisung and Changbin have changed much – if <em>he’s</em> changed as much.</p><p>“Wanna join us?” Hyunjin offers, snapping Chan out of his thoughts. “We’re hanging out at the bonfires.”</p><p>The bonfires are on the eastern part of the grounds, away from the more fragile tents and vendors, but easy to spot from a distance as they roar towards the skies. There are four, each flame burning a different color to represent the seasons, with the gentle blossom pink and verdant green of spring blazing the brightest.</p><p>“Sure,” Chan agrees, trying his hardest to still the twitch of his tail despite the way Hyunjin’s ‘<em>we</em>’ sets it off, though he knows he’s doing a terrible job with the look Jisung sends his way. They all know who ‘we’ means.</p><p>“Did you miss us? You missed me, I know you did,” Changbin bombards, bumping shoulders with Hyunjin as they begin winding through the throng of people again. </p><p>“Who?” Hyunjin asks without missing a beat.</p><p>Changbin tries to pout as cutely as possible.</p><p>They make their way to a table tucked against the eastern wall, where a sole occupant awaits, handsome and feline and relaxed, draped over the bench and giving them a lazy wave.</p><p>Chan tries his hardest not to peer around in search of a third as he greets Minho. </p><p>When Minho had first arrived at Gembright as a transfer from Atlas Academy, the instructors had struggled to find a team to fit him into – Chan had never pried into the reasons but there had always been rumors that followed Minho around. That he was too biting, too difficult, that he didn’t play well with others and that’s why he hadn’t stayed at Atlas. It had been a surprise when he and Hyunjin had gravitated to each other, but the camaraderie had cemented before anyone realized. </p><p>Then, a bright eyed Felix entered Gembright and it had taken a bright idea on the Headmaster’s part to test out the faunus boy’s chemistry with Minho and Hyunjin, which ended up being the right call – Minho had taken a shine to Felix immediately, protective in a way that he didn’t need to be with Hyunjin. With the three of them making a complete unit, Minho was finally given a team of his own. This was all shortly before Levanter had been assigned to work in the field with Younghyun.</p><p>Heading Team Glow seems to suit him well. He’d always carried himself with dismissive ease, and even now he looks like a king in his castle as he waves at them. “Look who the cat dragged in. We weren’t sure you were going to make it back in time.”</p><p>“Are you calling me a cat?” Hyunjin questions as he hands over a bubbling drink of purple and blue that’s swirling like a galaxy along with a small mound of pastries.</p><p>“Meow,” Minho replies, wagging his eyebrows before turning back to grin at Levanter’s trio, smile playfully sharp. “The heroes return, what an honor.”</p><p>Jisung sticks his tongue out, playfully sullen in return. “Only you could sound so insincere.”</p><p>“It is my craft.” But Minho softens to warmth as they all seat themselves, even scooting to make room for Chan next to him. “It’s good to have you back. Are you guys back for good or are you just here for the festival?”</p><p>Chan blinks owlishly at him, having just shoved an entire slab of meat in his mouth. Chewing vigorously, he merely points at Changbin, who pulls a face but answers.</p><p>“We’re back now. Younghyun said we should be able to certify before summer so we have to start prepping for the boards.”</p><p>Hyunjin makes a noise of admiration and it’s a bit more like the Hyunjin from before, who’d come to Gembright wide-eyed and earnest, trailing after the more senior students to take in their every move. “That’s ambitious. Think you’ll pass first try? The Headmaster’s going to beat you into the ground if he thinks you’re being cocky.”</p><p>Chan finally swallows and gives Hyunjin a big thumbs up, tail thumping against the bench beneath him. “We’ve got this! Besides, I trust Younghyun’s opinion of how well we’re doing.” </p><p>Fiddling with the straw of the drink he’d stolen from Hyunjin, Jisung peers around at the academy. “Anything crazy happen while we were gone?” </p><p>Minho and Hyunjin share a look, both breaking into identical crooked grins. “Oh,” Minho begins, bouncing his shoulders as if preparing himself for something huge. “You have no fucking idea.”</p><p>“Jeongin’s parents pulled him out of school in the middle of the semester,” Hyunjin tacks on, leaning forward conspiratorially. “He hasn’t said what’s going on, but it sounds like they’re trying to get him to drop out and enroll in Shade Academy instead.”</p><p>“Didn’t he turn down Shade Academy twice?” Changbin asks, brow furrowing in surprise. It had been quite the buzz the first time, every single news rag going rabid when young elite Jeongin, son of mega-conglomerate Yang Corporation, chose to forgo the academy that his family had attended for nearly two centuries and attend the younger and more unorthodox Gembright.</p><p>Minho gives a shrug. “I just know that his parents snatched him up a couple weeks ago and he barely answers any of his messages.”</p><p>Chan’s ears twitch as his attention wanders, mulling over the news. It’s unfortunate, really, because Chan has missed the younger boy’s effusive energy, having grown fond of the way Jeongin careened through Gembright’s halls, Jisung and Hyunjin at his heels. How strange for his parents to have pulled him out before a semester break, though.</p><p>Something sweet and sharp wafts through the air, pulling him away from his thoughts and back into the present. Chan’s nose isn’t as sharp as that of an actual wolf’s, but it’s still quite beyond that of a human’s, so it takes every last ounce of self control he’s mustered during his training as a Hunter to not whip around when he smells the calm before a storm mixed with freshly bloomed petals and the sting of a lightning strike. He turns, carefully, and then feels the breath get knocked right out of him, something stuttering in his chest.</p><p>“It’s really nice to see you again, Chan.”</p><p>“Hey there,” Chan manages, sounding only slightly breathless, and his tail thuds against the bench.</p><p>Felix smiles from where he’s draped against Hyunjin’s back, cheek pressing soft to a broad shoulder, gazing soft and doe-eyed at Chan as he steals one of Changbin’s tarts. As with Hyunjin, Felix has transformed in the time Chan’s been gone, in a way that is both startling and stunning. He’s turned willowy, the youthful softness of his cheeks replaced by the prominent cut of cheekbones, with the twist of his delicate wrists now graceful and precise. The winter months have faded his freckles to a pale splatter of stardust against his cheeks and temples, and something strange and unknown lurks in the lines of his body and the set of his jaw, something Chan doesn’t recognize.</p><p>Chan may be staring as Felix shifts to settle next to him, but there’s a lot to take in.</p><p>“How was the Barren?” Felix asks, bright and curious in a way that reminds Chan of sunlight filtering through a forest bower, his eyes sparkling in the glow of the bonfires.</p><p>“Crazy,” Chan says, more freely than before, lips twitching into a crooked grin without him realizing. “I hadn’t realized how different it’d be without a larger community, you know? We were really out there on our own a lot, just us and the research team.” He pauses, means to elaborate more, but his train of thought abruptly diverts to a new track before he can.</p><p>At some point in the previous months, Felix has changed his hair from the dirty blond he’d sported to a faded cherry blossom pink, the color contrasting splendidly with the soft white of the fox ears perched atop his head, the tousled locks tumbling down to frame his eyes.</p><p>Chan reaches out but doesn’t quite touch, merely brushing the back of his pinky against a strand that’s fallen into Felix’s eyes, so faintly that it’s more of a whisper, a suggestion of touch, or a question. “You haven’t changed seasons yet, Pixie,” he murmurs.</p><p>“Soon, just not yet,” Felix laughs softly, though he doesn’t hesitate to tilt his head and offer himself up for Chan’s examination. With the changing of the seasons, Felix’s fur will soon turn silver tipped with black to better suit the warming of summer, something Chan finds absolutely magical about him.</p><p>Chan’s touch is unfailingly gentle as he strokes his fingers over the soft fur of Felix’s ears, ruffling the younger boy’s hair before slowly pulling away, not meaning to linger as he grins broadly. The touch feels undeservingly familiar and he can feel Minho eyeing them.</p><p>The thing is, Chan and Felix aren’t actually close. </p><p>Felix had joined Gembright Academy only a short time before Team Levanter had been sent out under Younghyun’s instruction for actual fieldwork. During that period, the younger faunus had only shadowed Chan a handful of sessions before Team Glow had been formed, placing him under Minho’s leadership. Their interactions never had a chance to root deep, and yet…</p><p>Maybe it’s just because they’re two of only a handful of faunus attending Gembright, maybe it’s because they actually came from the same coastal city in Menagerie – never crossing paths until they both left home, but with so many of the same memories growing up. Either way, it gives them common ground, a shared history, and an easy affinity for each other. It’s effortless, Chan able to slip into a cadence that only the two of them can hear.</p><p>“Damn, we should dye our hair now that we’re back,” Jisung says, loud enough that Chan startles, practically shoving his hand under his thigh and flushing, suddenly acutely aware of his proximity to Felix.</p><p>Jisung continues, oblivious to the disturbance he’s causing. “We ended up cutting each other’s hair while we were out there.” He pauses, eyes narrowing across the table at Changbin. “Someone’s not allowed to touch mine anymore.”</p><p>“A reverse mohawk would have looked amazing,” Changbin replies, nonplussed.</p><p>Chan runs a thoughtful hand through his own dark, unruly locks. Being able to change things up while they’re able to maintain a proper hair care routine <em>does</em> sound appealing. He can be blond again, or maybe try something else, something more bold – a bright strawberry would look nice contrasted with soft pinks, would it not?</p><p>Not that he’s actually thinking about it like that.</p><p>He tables that thought for now, turning back to the group at large. “Are we going to see you guys tomorrow?”</p><p>“Tomorrow?” Hyunjin echoes, brow furrowed in confusion. </p><p>“Preliminaries?” Chan questions.</p><p>“Woooow,” Minho drawls from his other side. “Chan, you’re gonna hurt my feelings like that. You know what they say about assumptions.”</p><p>“Huh?” Jisung says, looking as lost as Hyunjin.</p><p>“We tested into Platinum,” Felix supplies, ever helpful, and Chan feels his face heat up with embarrassment as he turns to Minho. 
</p><p>“I didn’t mean it like that!” he tries to explain, even as Minho bursts out laughing, hard enough that he nearly falls off the bench.</p><p>“Holy shit, your <em>face</em>,” he wheezes, clapping Chan on the shoulder while he struggles to regain his composure. “It’s cool, man, all the teachers were surprised too.”</p><p>Jisung leans closer into Changbin, whispering, “But what do they say about assumptions?”</p><p>Changbin makes an obscene gesture with both hands.</p><p>Burying his face in his hands, Chan tries to will the blood away from his cheeks, ears pinning down as his tail curls into his lap. He feels his Semblance prickle beneath his skin at the surge of emotion. A more inexperienced Chan would have knocked everything off their table, but he keeps the storm held tight inside himself. </p><p>A gentle hand rests between his shoulder blades as he feels Felix lean into his space. With him comes a soft swirl of petrichor and begonia and the tang of ozone, more like a taste on his tongue than anything else. “Want to sit with us for the matches?” Felix offers. “Minho snagged front row seats, we could all fit with some squishing.”</p><p>“It’s easy when you all are so tiny,” agrees Hyunjin cheerfully. </p><p>Jisung chops at Hyunjin’s neck. “Gonna kill you.”</p><p>Still, Chan is grateful for the olive branch and takes it, working himself back down from that cliff of embarrassment and shooting Felix a grateful smile when he finally lowers his hands, the gale inside him settling. “That sounds great.”</p><p>Felix smiles at him, tail swishing behind him in satisfaction, and the sight of it all leaves Chan feeling just the tiniest bit dazed. Felix is a storm unto himself and Chan secretly wonders how easily he could get swept away.</p><p>“Hey!” someone calls, cutting through the atmosphere, and they all turn. It’s Yeonjun, waving at them from one of the garden paths. “They’re announcing the brackets right now, come on!”</p><p>They all scramble to their feet and follow, all else forgotten as the anticipation explodes. Chan feels like he can barely breathe – he’d almost taken the Hunter’s Crown the year prior, but had lost during the final match. To be crowned Vernalys champion right before graduating and becoming an official Hunter would be the perfect swan song to his time at Gembright. </p><p>Felix walks arm in arm in arm with Hyunjin and Jisung, just ahead of Chan in his preferable spot at the rear. He tries to only spare a quick glance at Felix’s tail right in front of him – nobody’s there to witness his success or failure. </p><p>Like Felix’s ears, his tail is still pure white and thick-furred, like the untouched snow atop a mountain, with delicate chains adorning the length of it and a different gemstone for each separate strand of jewelry, the gemstones gently glowing in the night air. </p><p>Chan nearly loses his footing when he sees something new. Felix has added two new chains while Team Levanter was away – with gemstones that look to be deep green of emerald and the oceanic glimmer of a sapphire. Clearly Felix has been busy.</p><p>Chan stares for a moment longer after this discovery, and then has to tear his gaze away, feeling the surge of heat rushing directly to his ears. Staring is rude. Super rude.</p><p>There’s a holographic board being projected alongside Carnelian Hall’s exterior wall and there’s a small crowd clustered beneath it.Chan recognizes a host of familiar faces – fellow classmates, students from other academies, all of them wearing the same expression; hunger, tinged with anticipation.</p><p>Brackets appear on the hologram. Three tiers – Silver, Gold, Platinum. Silver is glut with offerings and Gold holds a strong field, but Chan’s eyes stray straight for Platinum, trying to find Levanter’s name. Platinum is notoriously difficult to place into and this year is no exception. Fewer than ten teams between all the Hunter academies have managed to place in its prestigious running.</p><p>There’s a whole countdown to reveal teams, and Gold is just wrapping up just as they all arrive. Chan doesn’t even register any of the other qualifying teams – the tournament lasts three days, he had time to research anyone possibly facing them down. It isn’t until the last bracket that he zones in, sharp as a hawk.</p><p><strong>[Team Levanter]</strong> forms on the display, and time slows to a painful crawl.</p><p>Waiting...</p><p>
  <strong>[Versus]</strong>
</p><p>Waiting...</p><p>Waiting... </p><p>W a i t i n g...</p><p><strong>[Team Glow]</strong> flashes in the bracket next to Levanter’s, the letters glowing down at Chan like a taunt.</p><p>Well, <em>shit.</em></p><p>***</p><p>“Apologies if I break your face,” Jisung says, trying to keep his voice solemn, but also only barely restraining a shit-eating grin. They’re heading back to the dormitories, Chan wanting to make good on his word to Younghyun and turn in at a decent time. The atmosphere has shifted, inevitably. Nothing drastic, nothing cataclysmic, but enough that they run the risk of veering off course. </p><p>Or maybe it’s just the late hour finally hitting Chan, skewing his judgement to worry.</p><p>Hyunjin huffs, though there’s a skittish energy in the draw of his shoulders, as if he’s tightrope walking between jest and challenge. “If you can even fucking reach it, shortstack.”</p><p>“It’s okay, Hyunjinnie,” Changbin says, playfully boxing Hyunjin in on the other side. “I’ll protect your face from the squirrel.”</p><p>“Fucking turncoat.”</p><p>Felix drops back to walk next to Chan, though he doesn’t say anything, their footsteps echoing gently underneath the bickering. This should also feel different – they’re not quite enemies, of course, but they’re decidedly now rivals, vying for the same accolades. It doesn’t feel different though. Not with Felix.</p><p>Chan doesn’t push it, doesn’t want to see how fragile this really is. “Have you been home at all?”</p><p>There’s a pleased little swish of Felix’s tail at the question, the jewelry gently clinking with the movement. “Yeah! Well, not <em>home</em>-home. We did a courier escort to Kuo Kuana with Ahyeon last month and got to spend a day and a half there. It was so good to be back, even for a little bit. Restocked on all the snacks, you know?”</p><p>“Ahh, that’s still pretty great!” If it were anyone else, Chan knows he’d be jealous. It’s been nearly a year since he’s been back on the continent, let alone back to their home city; the beautiful sprawling Runewick on the southernmost coast of Menagerie. Being in the Barren had meant that any outgoing communication had been fucked, the blanket of Grimm distortion too strong for most signals. Once back in range of civilization, he’d been able to get in touch with his parents, but it isn’t the same as actually being back, bathed in the oppressive press of sunlight with the sand beneath his feet.</p><p>“Do you want any? I got so many,” Felix offers.</p><p>“Nah, I don’t wanna take anything from you,” Chan says hastily. </p><p>Felix rolls his eyes a tiny bit. “Don’t be like that. I got extras just in case you actually made it back.”</p><p>“... Oh.” <em>Shit</em>. Chan doesn’t even know what to say to that besides, “Thanks, Felix.”</p><p>They trail behind the others until they reach the courtyard that sits between their dormitories. Felix gives both Jisung and Changbin hugs before lingering in front of Chan. He doesn’t reach out for Chan, but something about it makes warmth flood Chan’s chest anyway. “See you at breakfast?”</p><p>“Maybe,” Chan laughs, scuffing the toe of his thick-soled black boot against the pavement and god, he feels a little juvenile for it. “Might take advantage of being able to sleep in. Save me something?”</p><p>“Sure,” Felix agrees, flashing Chan the sweetest smile, and Chan wonders if he’ll ever stop feeling dizzy at the force of it. “Good night, Chan… I’m really glad you’re back.”</p><p>Chan echoes the sentiments before turning to follow his teammates into the dormitory, trying to tamp down on the biggest grin even as his tail wags wildly. He’s glad to be back too.</p><p>The Levanter trio heads to their room, knowing their luggage had already been dropped off while they wandered the festival. It’s strange how the halls of Gembright can simultaneously feel so alien and so familiar, like two conflicting filters being applied to the same photo.</p><p>Being in their dorm room feels no different, the knick knacks and decor that had been too impractical for the Barren waiting for them, untouched by their absence.</p><p>“Oh my god, I’ve missed you,” Jisung groans, making a beeline for the giant stuffed pig on his bed and stuffing his face in its soft stitching. </p><p>Chan looks on fondly, gaze wandering from Jisung to the band posters on the walls above Changbin’s bed to the action figurines that occupy an entire display case next to his own bed, something akin to ache settling into his chest. It’s good to be back.</p><p>“So… That was a plot twist,” Changbin says, breaking the silence. “About the tournament.”</p><p>Groaning, Jisung thrashes against his bedspread. “I spent the entire flight here reading up on like… all the teams from Beacon Academy. What a fucking waste.”</p><p>“You’ll survive,” Chan says, patting Jisung on the head as he passes by. Though they can still hear the faint thrum of celebration, it’s quieter on this side of campus and Chan can feel the exhaustion of the day sink into his bones. Jumping from the Barren straight into the Vernalys Festival with naught more than a shuttle flight to separate them is a jarring experience now that Chan has been given a moment to breathe.</p><p>The moon is high in the sky now, spilling silver onto Chan’s bedspread like the glimmer of a dream. He may have arm-wrestled both Jisung and Changbin to get the bed next to the window, back when they’d first become a team and had spent many a sleepless hour sat on the windowsill, looking out at the world that Gembright floated above.</p><p>(Chan suspects that Changbin lost on purpose, but that is neither here nor there.)</p><p>He crawls up to the window now, settling against the cool pane of glass instead of unpacking like Changbin. There’ll be time for that, time for them to adjust to being stationary again. There’d be no need to prove themselves by fighting Grimm ambushes. No need to feel like their lives were held in precarious balance. It was safe here.</p><p>Chan isn’t actually sure which he prefers, though he is glad to be back within the familiar walls. Is safety so preferable? He’d chosen to become a Hunter, after all. Danger is the name of the game.</p><p>“Get some sleep,” Chan tells them both, though he makes no move to retire himself. He’ll stay awhile, in the company of the moon, and just let the change sink into his bones, though eventually he’s lulled to tranquility by the puppy-snuffles coming from Jisung’s bed and the twinkle of the stars in the sky. </p><p>***</p><p>In the end, they do end up at the dining hall for breakfast, their routine etched too deep into their muscles to stay put. Chan wakes before the sunrise and though it’s nice at first to just laze in bed, the three of them all feel the restlessness set in.</p><p>“Is this our life now?” wonders Jisung as he rummages through his wardrobe, clothes strewn around him. He’s been fussing for nearly twenty minutes, holding shirts up to his chest as he looks in the mirror. “I liked being able to sleep until noon.”</p><p>“Don’t get existential so early in the day,” Changbin teases, nearly stepping on Chan’s tail as Chan hunts through the suitcases he hadn’t unpacked the night before for his favorite boots. “Just give it a few days, you’ll be oversleeping your alarms again in no time.”</p><p>“Don’t you mistake me for Chan,” Jisung shoots back before sighing as he drops the red plaid flannel he’d been considering and fishes back into his wardrobe to assess a lurid pink sweater Felix had bought him the previous year for their joint birthday celebrations. “Do you think this says ‘I’m back’ but like in a good way?”</p><p>“Clothes can’t talk,” says Chan absentmindedly as he finally locates the missing boots. “Come on, I wanna grab pastries before they’re all gone.”</p><p>Jisung tugs the sweater on and then stops short when he sees Chan’s current selection. “You can’t seriously be wearing that.”</p><p>“<em>Hey</em>,” Chan protests, though he knows exactly why Jisung’s getting on his case, self consciously tugging on the black t-shirt he’d donned. On its own, it’s probably innocuous, but it’s accompanied by a black jacket, black pants, and black boots – his socks and underwear aren’t visible, but they’re also black. Hell, his fucking fur is black. </p><p>… Chan just has a preference.</p><p>“It’s our first day back,” Jisung despairs in Chan’s general direction. “We’ve been wearing field gear for months! Months! Changbin, back me up, he needs to switch it up.”</p><p>Chan looks around himself in askance. His clothes aren’t tossed around like Jisung’s, but that doesn't matter when it makes a literal pile of black. There’s not much of a difference if he changes.</p><p>“What you’re wearing is fine,” Changbin says, not looking up from where he’s strapping on his twin rifles, Splinter and Scar. Changbin likes to be prepared and it shows as he carefully checks over every strap and buckle that sling the rifles in a cross on his back.</p><p>Jisung scowls at being outnumbered. “It’s just not very eye-catching,” he complains, pouting in a way that is both tiny and absolutely adorable.</p><p>Cooing obnoxiously, Chan comes over to pinch Jisung’s cheeks. “Tell you what,” he says, because he doesn’t care so much that he can’t compromise. “You can pick out a different top for me, yeah?”</p><p>This gets Jisung to light up again and Chan can’t bring himself to regret his choice as Jisung bounds over to raid Changbin’s closet, rifling through for several minutes before he reemerges, trumpantly brandishing a shirt in Chan’s direction. “Ditch the jacket, you should show off your guns.”</p><p>The top Jisung chooses is a sleeveless affair and deep crimson red, with darkened leather straps winding around the torso in a complicated harness. It looks more like it belongs in a club, but Chan has to admit it turns out pretty good when he pulls it on – he and Changbin aren’t that different in build, but Chan’s chest is a touch broader, and that means the top is more form fitting than Chan’s usual affair, showing off the muscled build of his shoulders along with his toned arms.</p><p>“You can keep it,” Changbin offers with a grin – his own way of saying he approves.</p><p>“I am a <em>genius</em>,” Jisung sighs, finally satisfied.</p><p>To finish everything off, Chan hooks Shatterstrike’s twin gauntlets onto his forearms, their dormant form resembling thick bracelets made of obsidian, all sharp edges against his wrist bones. Even if they’re back on campus and can forgo carrying, Chan would feel naked without the familiar weight of them, knowing they all feel the same as Jisung slings Cometfall over his shoulder.</p><p>The dining hall is rowdy when they step in and Chan nearly takes a step back out into the hallway as the noise hits him, unused to the rabble even after the previous evening’s festivities. It’s boisterous and joyful though, so he follows after his teammates towards food. There’s familiar faces and shouted greetings among the general chaos, but Chan’s holding out, scanning the crowds in search of a very specific trio.</p><p>“Hey guys!” It’s Hyunjin again, clutching a bowl of strawberries to his chest as he shoves between them, taking advantage of greeting them to steal several buns. “We’re over by the other entrance, come sit with us.”</p><p>“You’re so goddamn rude,” Jisung complains half-heartedly, though he doesn’t get much further as Hyunjin shoves a bun into his mouth and muffles any further insults. Throwing them all a cheery wave, the boy dips back out of line, returning to his team.</p><p>Jisung munches ferociously in Hyunjin’s wake.</p><p>They follow after Hyunjin soon enough, plates piled high enough that Chan wonders if they’ll get sick from the sudden excess – but they’d survived the previous night just fine and this was their last hurrah before they started prepping for their graduation exams.</p><p>There’s conveniently a spare seat next to Felix at the table and Chan’s quick to slide himself there. “Morning.”</p><p>“If it must be,” Felix says with a little yawn, his cute little ears still a bit droopy from sleep. It’s so adorable that Chan gives him a quick scritch behind the ears, fingers tangling gently in his cherry blossom hair. Felix is swimming in an oversized pastel blue sweater, both of his tiny hands hidden within the folds of the long sleeves. It makes him look even more minature than he actually is, and Chan feels something in his chest melt as Felix yawns again, so very soft and sleepy.</p><p>“The sun is still in the east, so I guess it must,” he answers, even as Changbin calls him a nerd from further down the table.</p><p>There’s a pause as Felix blinks owlishly at him, looking a bit dazed and confused. “Want a pineapple bun?” he asks, apropos of nothing, holding up the aforementioned bun. “There were only two left when I grabbed them. You like them, right?”</p><p>“Careful, Felix,” Minho teases lightly, his smile razor sharp. “You’re not allowed to fraternize with the enemy.”</p><p>Felix jerks his hand back so fast that the bun thunks down onto the table between them, his ears pinning back as his eyes go wide.</p><p>Chan thinks if he breathes too deeply, the sudden tension between them might clog his lungs.</p><p>“Oh, for crying out loud–” Minho sounds completely exasperated, looks pained even moreso. He leans forward and points a finger straight at Chan before he looks at all three members of Team Levanter. ”We’re all going to try and kick each other’s asses tomorrow and that’s totally okay and not a problem. Alright?”</p><p>Their eyes meet and Chan’s brow furrows, almost taken aback by how resolute Minho appears, before he nods sharply. “Of course,” he says. They’ll take tomorrow as it happens and there’s no point in agonizing over it. </p><p>Something akin to surprise flashes in Minho’s eyes at this. Chan wonders what Minho expected – that Levanter saw them as inferior? Maybe that’s Chan’s fault from the day before, but it must be the right response, because Minho gives him one of those genuine smiles.</p><p>There’s a moment’s pause before Changbin turns to Jisung. “How about you break Minho’s face instead of Hyunjin’s?”</p><p>Jisung gives this some serious thought. “Deal.”</p><p>“At least it’s easier to reach,” Hyunjin says, and Minho punts a half-eaten bun straight at his now pardoned face. “<em>Hey!</em>”</p><p>“Ahhh, no friendly fire when we’re this close to the tournament!” Felix exclaims with dismay, though Chan notices that Felix also carefully places the pineapple bun in front of Chan’s plate of food, and Chan finds that a teensy bit endearing. The tension has dissipated completely and the rest of breakfast passes with comfortable ease.</p><p>“You look nice,” Felix adds quietly as they clear the table, and Chan feels whatever’s in his chest grow warmer.</p><p>They follow the throng of students and visitors flooding towards the stadium, ducking and dodging until they can make their way to the lowest tiers, right in front of the arena. Minho really does have front row seats and Jisung ends up on Chan’s lap for them to all fit, but it’s not the worst thing as Chan comfortably hooks his chin over his friend’s shoulder. Felix settles next to them and that feels correct as the sound system booms to life. 

“<em>What is <span class="u">up</span>, friends and enemies, all you homies and foe-mies</em>,” a very familiar voice comes on over the speaker system and the crowd looks up at the various screens projecting the commentators all around the stadium. One of the most sensational Hunters in the region, Jaehyung Park, sits there, looking cheerful in a way that borders on maniacal, and beside him is Younghyun, who only looks mildly horrified so far. “<em>It is I, Jae, your amazing and talented and sexy host for the Hunter’s Crown. With me is Gembright’s own Brian–</em>” </p><p>“<em>–It’s Younghyun!</em>”</p><p>“<em>Brian</em>,” Jae continues, his smile growing ever larger. “<em>He’s helping me out today. And tomorrow, probably. Maybe even more than that, eh?</em>” </p><p>Laughter ripples through the stadium as Jae, with some corralling by Younghyun, launches into an explanation of the Hunter’s Crown for the uninitiated. It’s a pretty straightforward affair. Teams pair up to fight it out until the last one standing, with randomized environments to help or hinder their battles, culling the field in half until the semi-finals, when the top four teams will send out pairs to battle. The lucky two teams to make it to the finals will then select their very best member to take the Hunter’s Crown and all the prestige that comes with it, along with a sizable prize cache of Dust.</p><p>The first Silver tier match goes off without a hitch, the group of friends watching avidly as a team from Shade Academy face off against Atlas Academy amidst a swamp and an iceberg. Both teams are so new that Chan can practically smell it, like fresh paint waiting to dry.</p><p>(What he can actually smell is Jisung’s cologne, and Felix, like a storm of foxglove.) </p><p>It’s quickly over, the two teams rapidly replaced by the next in line to battle. Silver tier matches never last long and they all begin to blur together, even with Jae and Younghyun’s increasingly snarky banter – Chan almost feels sympathy for how hard Younghyun is trying to contain Jae, but Jae is like a hurricane of chaos and it’s a wasted effort.</p><p>Instead, Chan begins making empty bets with Jisung and Felix on the winners, the three of them poring over Felix’s scroll between matches to check the teams.</p><p>“I’m gonna go with Team Punch,” Chan decides.</p><p>“Are you saying that based on their stats or because they have a faunus?” Jisung asks dryly, as they all look down at the battle profile of a younger faunus, her features resembling that of a harpy eagle.</p><p>“Of course because she’s a faunus,” Felix scoffs, before he and Chan high five, whooping obnoxiously. The touch lingers like electricity against Chan’s palm.</p><p>Minutes later, Team Punch emerges victorious and Chan isn’t paying close enough attention when Jisung leans forward to smack his fingertips to the floor with a small burst of amber light – though he immediately feels the effects as the soles of his boots glue themselves to the concrete by an invisible force. Felix’s sneakers get a similar treatment, the ground glowing with a soft light that traced an intricate circle around them. A holding rune.</p><p>“You’re such a sore loser,” Chan says, more amused than anything as he playfully digs his fingers into Jisung’s ribs. “What a ~confrontational display of Semblance use~.”</p><p>“Wee-woo-wee-woo!” Felix meeps at them, imitating a siren as he joins in on tickling Jisung. “Call the police.”</p><p>“I hate you! Both of you!” Jisung shrieks, thrashing around as he’s tickled into undoing the rune holding Felix and Chan’s feet down.</p><p>That’s how the morning goes, and the two teams squash themselves together after a break for lunch for the next round of preliminaries. The field for Gold tier is much more experienced, the matches all that more more interesting. </p><p>Felix is now perched on Changbin, though still squished right up against Chan, his white tail draped over one of Chan’s thighs. “I hope Wildcat wins.”</p><p>“They’re really good,” Chan agrees, absentmindedly stroking his fingers over Felix’s fur. Yeonjun’s team is also relatively new but they’ve come a long way since they’d been formed and Yeonjun taking the Gold Crown will be advantageous for Team Wildcat when field assignments come in. </p><p>Of course it’s too early to tell how well Wildcat will fare, but they win their first match with ease, and Chan throws back his head and howls as the crowds cheer. A moment later and Felix joins him, yipping, their voices blending together above the roar of the audience.</p><p>Though all they do is spectate, Chan feels a drowsiness settle in as the final match of the day comes to an end, Jae cheerfully reminding everyone that Platinum tier's preliminary matches will commence the next day. Levanter and Glow will face off in the late afternoon as the final match of the day.</p><p>They troop off, the festival booths back in full swing as evening falls, and there’s a repeat of the night before, Chan sharing a pile of grilled meat with Felix as they sit near the bonfires, laughing raucously as Hyunjin nearly shoves Changbin into the flames after Changbin steals and devours his perfectly toasted marshmallow. </p><p>Felix’s eyes sparkle in the firelight and Chan feels the flames burn themselves into his chest.</p><p>The feeling lingers as they all troop back to the dorms, the trip back the first moment of true quiet they’ve had the entire day. Changbin has made amends to Hyunjin for his grievances and is now giving him a piggyback, the two of them leading the rest in jumbled campfire song, and neither team wants to part ways just yet, but they can’t risk their state for the matches the next day.</p><p>Felix doesn’t leave immediately, lingering in front of Chan much like the night before. He doesn’t say anything, just looks at Chan with eyes that shine with a curious light. “Chan…” he begins, and then stops, biting his lip, eyes wide and so achingly vulnerable.</p><p>Maybe he doesn’t need to say anything at all.</p><p>So Chan grins and gently tweaks one of Felix’s fox ears before smoothing his fingers through Felix’s cherry blossom locks. Minho’s watching them again, but Chan doesn’t withdraw quite so quickly this time. “Show me what you’ve got tomorrow, yeah?”</p><p>The smile Felix gives him is unto the stars themselves. “Of course. Good night, Chan.”</p><p>There’s no promise made to meet up tomorrow, both teams needing to spend time warming up before their match, but Chan finds that it’s harder to fall asleep, knots of excitement and anticipation twisting through him. </p><p>“I wonder if I can break both Minho <em>and</em> Hyunjin’s faces,” Jisung whispers in the silence and gets a pillow chucked at him by both Chan and Changbin. </p><p>***</p><p>The dormitory is silent the next morning, Jisung’s usual chatter absent as they all meticulously inspect their gear and weapons. Though Chan had slept fitfully, his thoughts are all abuzz, checking Changbin and Jisung’s inventory along with his own; he takes his role as team captain seriously, wanting to ensure Levanter is in top shape. </p><p>His own gear is worn but well-kept and predictably, all black. From the tactical pants to the reinforced boots to the tank top and sleeveless jacket, it’s all black and unadorned. Shatterstrike clads his forearms in obsidian danger, with extra clips of ammunition slung on his belt. Unsurprisingly, it feels the most comfortable like this. After months in the Barren, this is his most natural state of being – dressed to kill in a literal sense.</p><p>Changbin and Jisung dress similarly – though Jisung has opted for forest green kit and full sleeves, nothing fitting quite as snug as his teammates’ and geared more towards blending in. Beside him, Changbin has ditched the jacket completely, preferring double bandoliers that cross his chest to secure both his rifles, extra ammunition, and a small collection of Dust capsules.</p><p>Chan feels pretty proud as they file out of the dorm. They don’t look like students. They look like Hunters.</p><p>But something else is nagging at him and he stops the others before they leave the dorm completely. “Are we still cool with the finals and semifinals lineup?” he asks, examining his two friends. </p><p>Changbin looks bemused, though there’s a subtle twitch to the corner of his mouth “We’ve talked about this for a year and you’re going to ask us <em>hours</em> before we start?”</p><p>“Look, I’m just checking in!” Chan protests, flushing lightly. He knows it’s a touch ridiculous. They really have been preparing for this since their loss in the finals the previous year, but he would hate to make assumptions for either of them.</p><p>“If you send me into either the semis or the finals, I will literally withdraw,” Jisung pipes up, bumping shoulders with Chan. “You’re gonna win this year, Chan. Come on.”</p><p>It’s the reassurance Chan needs, leaving his heart lighter as he follows the two of them to get warmed up.</p><p>Younghyun’s waiting for them in one of the private training halls, tablet in hand as he reviews footage – Chan sees clips from both their work in the field as well as replays of the previous day’s preliminary matches.</p><p>“Are you a homie or a foe-mie?” Chan asks him, and the man rolls his eyes good-naturedly. </p><p>“Don’t you even start. Get your monitors on and warm up and then just rotate with each other. Five minutes per round, but don’t push too hard.” Younghyun glanced down at the time displayed on his scroll. “If you can’t recover your aura completely, you’ve fucked up and you’re going to lose.”</p><p>“Yeah, boss!” they chorus.</p><p>Chan presses the monitors to the curve behind his ears, shaking his head from side to side to ensure they’re secured. One of the boards along the wall flickers to life, showing his vitals; his aura levels strong and his heartbeat steady. Soon Jisung and Changbin’s readings join his on neighboring displays, and Chan steps into the shielded training grounds that occupy half the hall before beckoning. “Changbin.”</p><p>Jisung bounces on his heels next to Younghyun, as Changbin tugs Splinter and Scar free, though he flicks the switches on the barrels of each rifle and they both click and whirl, metal plates rapidly shifting and shuffling in the blink of an eye until they’ve changed to a sword and shield – Changbin’s been sparring with Chan for almost two years at this point, he knows how to hold his own.</p><p>Chan grins, feeling something inside of him click into place. This is his element, this is where he thrives, as he cocks Shatterstrike, the gauntlets unlocking to encompass his forearms, void-black with wicked blades running along the outsides, with small magazines of explosives tucked snug against his wrists. As Chan flexes his fingers, the gauntlets take on the soft black glow just above their surfaces, responding to his aura as he faces Changbin.</p><p>They both take a moment, breathing in deep, squaring their shoulders as they lock gazes. Then, in tandem, they throw themselves forward, meeting in the center of the training grounds with a violent clash.</p><p>Changbin whirls, blade spinning in his grip with practiced ease as he presses Chan backwards, not wanting to give him a chance to breathe. Chan catches each blow, feeling the impact rock through his bones before Shatterstrike redirects the force back at Changbin in an unrelenting barrage of shockwaves. 

“You gonna be cool with the match?” Changbin grunts out as he brings his shield up, catching Chan’s fist before it can crack into his face. </p><p>“Why wouldn’t I be?” Chan asks, ears twitching in vague curiosity, more focused on the matter at hand as he drops and rolls, sweeping a leg out to take Changbin’s feet out from under him.</p><p>Changbin flails back before he catches himself, rolling backwards to land back on his feet, one rifle returning to his hand as he takes aim and fires. His aim is razor sharp and only barely misses as Chan leaps straight vertical, his Semblance surging to his call as winds howl to keep him aloft. “Oh, you know,” Changbin says, casually hunkering down behind his shield, continuing to fire Scar at Chan. “Team Glow and all that.”</p><p>“Are you?” Chan asks in return, flipping himself upside down and punching both arms forward, two shells exploding from his gauntlets and spiraling back at Changbin, though they’re blocked by Splinter with relative ease – this isn’t meant to be brutal, neither Chan nor Changbin are aiming to deal damage.</p><p>There’s a pause as Changbin squints at Chan, focusing as his own Semblance comes into play, a rush of heat entering the battlegrounds as a small sun forms above Changbin’s head, giving him a molten halo. “You know that’s not the same,” Changbin says, as he takes aim again. This time when he fires, the bullet comes out like a mini fireball, streaking across the empty space like a meteor hitting the atmosphere. “You know I’m talking about Felix.”</p><p>Somehow despite expecting this exact question, Chan’s still caught off guard, control slipping just enough that the winds falter before he focuses again, dropping towards the ground by half a meter before his Semblance stabilizes again. He still manages to avoid getting hit by Changbin’s enhanced bullets, but it’s only barely, the fur on his tail warmed by the dangerous heat.</p><p>“Time!” Younghyun calls, and Chan is both grateful for the distraction and annoyed that Changbin has managed to needle him so effortlessly. “Jisung, swap with Changbin.”</p><p>As Changbin leaves the battlegrounds, he gives Chan a look that says this isn’t the last of it, and Chan finds himself hoping they run out of time before they have to talk about it. He isn’t normally one to avoid conflict resolution, but he’s not sure he’s ready for this particular conversation.</p><p>Jisung bounds into the battlegrounds, his beloved Cometfall already in hand. If Levanter’s fighting styles exist as a spectrum, Jisung and Chan are exact opposites. They work hard to keep their skills well-rounded, but Chan prefers taking care of problems up front, everything as close to the chest as possible – he excels at close range combat, Shatterstrike having been designed specifically for his fighting style. Jisung swings the other way, ideally with enemies further than arm’s length, his trusty rocket launcher allowing him to keep his distance as he pleases and able to maintain his Semblance in a wide radius around himself.</p><p>It’s only thanks to top notch technology that Jisung can even practice now, dropping on one knee to brace himself as he fires off an absolute unit of a missile at Chan, who’s still hovering in the air. Chan allows himself to drop back to the ground, the rocket bursting against the shield that’s directly behind where’d just been hovering. </p><p>Chan can’t stay in one place for long as Jisung rolls forward, trying to slap a rune at Chan’s feet before he can get in the clear. Chan’s just a hair faster as he takes a flying leap over Jisung, slapping him on the back of the head as he passes by – not enough to hurt, just enough to scold.</p><p>“I hope a Grimm eats your shorts,” Jisung grumbles, scrambling away to put some distance between them as well. His finger tips are glowing and Chan feels a small twist of trepidation – given enough time, Jisung could supercharge his runes, turn them massive – runes that either held anything they touched with an iron grip or exploded on contact like a mine. </p><p>It’s not a hit Chan can afford to take right before a tournament.</p><p>Punching forward, Chan fires off a handful of shots, trying to break Jisung’s concentration before he dashes closer, the winds whistling to the call of his Semblance. This time he isn’t fast enough as Jisung slaps the rune down – an exploding one – and Chan barely manages to use the winds he’s summoned to shield himself from the worst of the blast. A close call, but not enough to actually hurt Chan, not even a light burn.</p><p>“So,” Jisung begins as the smoke clears. “Felix, am I right?”</p><p>Chan’s wolf ears pin back as he narrows his eyes at Jisung. “Why are both of you like this?”</p><p>“You just seem really happy to see him, is all,” Jisung says with a shrug. They should take another shot at each other, but for now they just circle, predator versus predator. </p><p>Besides, it’s hard to fight and hold a conversation, even with the familiarity they hold with each other. Jisung and Chan don’t predate Changbin by much, but their thread in the tapestry of time runs the longest. “It’s just nice to be back, you know that.”</p><p>“Focus!” Younghyun calls from the sidelines. </p><p>“Yeah, boss!” they both call back, and Chan puts the matter aside as Jisung takes aim and fires at him again – Chan’s gotten pretty good sparring with Jisung, but he’s going to have to consider giving his tail a conditioning mask when the day is finally over as the blowback of this shot sends an intense wave of heat rushing through him.</p><p>Five minutes passes easily enough and Younghyun pulls Chan out and sends Changbin back in. They watch, side by side, as the two square off, Changbin’s sun halo reappearing as Jisung begins placing runes.</p><p>“So what do you think?” Younghyun asks, and Chan is grateful for a question he actually has an answer for. “I know your teams hung out yesterday.”</p><p>“We’ll win,” Chan says, though he keeps his eyes trained on his teammates. It’s not arrogance to say that. Despite any impression given during their first day back, Chan doesn’t actually see Team Glow as inferior – but time and experience are on Levanter’s side. “I don’t think it’ll be easy, though. Minho’s pretty clever, I think it’ll be difficult to take him down.”</p><p>“It’s almost a shame your teams haven’t been able to work together much,” Younghyun comments. “Or maybe that’s a good thing, makes it more fair.”</p><p>“Felix added two new tails,” Chan recalls. “I think that puts him up at four.”</p><p>This surprises Younghyun as much as it had with Chan. “Impressive. He’s coming along faster than I expected. Do you know which gems he added?”</p><p>Chan is about to answer when the monitors catch his eye and he frowns, stepping forward. “Jisung!” he calls out, not as a friend but as team captain – commanding, assured. “Step off, you’re draining too fast.”</p><p>“Oops,” Jisung says guiltily, coming to a halt. It’s clear that he’d gotten ambitious, taking advantage of Changbin being landbound to lay down a veritable minefield of runes on the ground. Normally it wouldn’t be a problem but maintaining that many runes took a toll and aura recovery was an imprecise art. Jisung <em>needs</em> to be at 100% if they want to guarantee victory – not only can low aura levels disqualify you in a match, it’s <em>dangerous.</em> Aura is like a second skin, one that keeps one safe from the worst injuries – both from these entertainment matches between Hunters and more importantly from the Grimm. It’s a finite energy that’s generated by a person’s soul and Chan can’t take that risk with his teammates.</p><p>Younghyun looks bemused as he waves the two over. “That’s good enough, I suppose. Come on.”</p><p>They regroup, with Chan handing over water bottles and giving Jisung a pat on the back, wanting to make sure the other boy knows Chan isn’t acting out of harshness, just precaution. </p><p>“There’s just one last thing for you,” Younghyun says, handing the tablet over to Chan. “These were all three matches from last year. Review all three and analyze how you can solve those problems if they were to happen now.”</p><p>“Oh god, like it’s homework,” realizes Jisung with a loud groan.</p><p>“It’s almost like you’re back at school,” Younghyun teases lightly, before giving them all a firm nod. “You’ve got this. Good luck out there.”</p><p>“Go have fun with your amazing and talented and sexy friend!” Chan calls out as their mentor leaves the building. </p><p>“I hope you lose!” Younghyun yells right back.</p><p>They spend the rest of the morning reviewing the footage. It’s such a strange sight – Chan’s hair back then had been white-blond, a sharp contrast to his black fur, his gear lacking the upgrades he’d gotten right before leaving for the Barren. That Chan had been a year younger, a year more naive, almost a stranger to the Chan that existed now, despite there being no grand series of events to change his life..</p><p>Maybe Chan <em>has </em>changed as much as he’s seen Felix and Hyunjin change.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Even brilliant lights will cease to burn</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>*fighting noise intensifies*</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The crowd’s roar is wild and unbridled when Team Levanter enters the arena, with Jae stoking the flames from the commentator’s box. “<em>We’ve seen Atlas, we’ve seen Beacon, we’ve seen Haven, and we’ve seen Shade. It’s time to give it up for Gembright’s very own! Welcome Team Levanter and Team Glooooooooooooow!</em>”</p><p>With heads held high, they make their way to the middle of the arena. It’s still smooth metal plating; a blank slate instead of the randomly generated environments that will appear later. Their opponents approach from the opposite side, with Minho in the center, flanked by the other two. Chan has to admit, they look good; formidable and imposing. Minho is commanding, though he’s the least flashy of the three, geared up in a deep shade of blue, the tailored fit of his military inspired jacket contrasting sharply with Levanter’s tactical gear. </p><p>On his right, Hyunjin is the easiest to spot, having forgone any thought of subtlety or camouflage for a flaming red long coat and white pants, finished off with knee high boots that have snarling tigers leaping up their sides. He looks <em>cool</em>, if a bit impractical.</p><p>And then there’s Felix.</p><p>Like Chan, Felix is dressed in all black and sleeveless. Gone are the soft sweaters and oversized tees that Felix often sports during casual times. Instead, his Hunter gear is sleek and form fitting, showcasing his lithe muscles and feline build, the belt holding his rapier wrapped around his waist and secured with a strap wound tight around his thigh. His beautiful white tail swishes gently behind him, all four chains still wrapped delicately within the fur. He’s slicked back his pink locks to keep out of his eyes, the change really bringing attention to the dainty swoop of his nose, the sharp cut of his cheekbones, and the fire that burns in those beautifully expressive eyes.</p><p>He is nothing short of breathtaking and Chan forces himself to look away. Felix has always been lovely and there is nothing new to be gained from staring, no matter how the sight of the fox faunus is like an arrow to the chest.</p><p>“<em>Some of you may be familiar with Team Levanter from last year, headed by the incredibly talented Chan Bang who made it to the finals last year</em>,” Jae’s voice continues to boom throughout the arena. “<em>Will he claim the crown this year? Levanter will have to defeat these impressive rookies – Team Glow has only been training as a team for less than a year and they have some of the highest test scores among all five academies.</em>”</p><p>There’s a rise in volume from the screaming audience, though Chan can’t tell which team they’re meant for. It doesn’t really matter though, and he begins tuning the commentary out as he steps up on the raised platform in the center of the arena, coming to a halt opposite of Minho.</p><p>“May the best team win,” Minho says, offering his hand. The two captains shake on it and then step back as the arena begins to change around them, symbols flashing over the arena displays as the computer generates the two chosen environments. Chan peers around as the ones on Team Glow’s side slowly settle on the symbol of three trees standing tall – Forest terrain. On Levanter’s side, the symbols turned to a jagged summit peak, clouds hovering on either side of its peak. Mountainous terrain. The sight of both makes Jisung whoop and Changbin reach out to high five Chan. This is almost the most ideal environment for Levanter, the two sides most closely resembling the Barren.</p><p>The arena rumbles around them as each metal plate flips, replaced by the designated terrain, a countdown appearing on all the screens.</p><p>
  <strong>[Ten]</strong>
</p><p>Chan cocks his gauntlets into their active form, feeling the familiar crackle of energy humming against his skin as the black steel of Shatterstrike unfolds along his forearms.</p><p>
  <strong>[Nine]</strong>
</p><p>Beside him, Jisung jitters quietly, fingertips flickering with amber light and flexing against Cometfall’s trigger. He’s counting his breaths to match the timer.</p><p>
  <strong>[Eight]</strong>
</p><p>Minho grins, reaching behind him to undo the clasps on his two bladed fans, both unfurling with gentle grace. Ashwing suits him terribly, all elegant beauty and wicked deadly.</p><p>
  <strong>[Seven]</strong>
</p><p>Next to Minho, Hyunjin squares his jaw, looking defiant as his scythe unfolds in his hand, a faint ripple of emerald glowing just beneath his skin as he draws on his Semblance.</p><p>
  <strong>[Six]</strong>
</p><p>Changbin flips between twin rifles and sword and shield with practiced ease, each move calm and calculated. Of all of them, Changbin knows how to keep his head, knows how to keep the nerves at bay.</p><p>
  <strong>[Five]</strong>
</p><p>Felix locks eyes with Chan and grins, his gaze hungry. A wild, nervous energy runs between the two of them, raw and untamed.</p><p>
  <strong>[Four]</strong>
</p><p>Chan doesn’t back down this time, watching Felix with feral greed that is normally forbidden, as the countdown booms above them. He doesn’t want to miss a moment; can’t afford to look away for even a second.</p><p>
  <strong>[Three]</strong>
</p><p>Instead of drawing his rapier, Felix’s fingertips twitch and the chains around his tail begin to twist and reshape themselves, unfurling like a flower, each gem blazing like a star before imbuing their respective chain with a magical flame – ruby, sapphire, topaz, and emerald. Suddenly Felix has four additional metal fox tails swishing gently behind him in a faint rainbow</p><p>
  <strong>[Two]</strong>
</p><p>It makes him mythical and it makes Chan burn.</p><p>
  <strong>[One]</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>
    <em></em>
  </strong>
  <em>Showtime.</em>
</p><p>A bullhorn blares above them, loud enough that Chan feels it in his bones. </p><p>Instantly Jisung throws himself backwards, scrambling his way to high ground up the small rocky mountain in search of a cliff to hunker down on. In a similar fashion, Felix grins one last time and then turns, darting into the forest and disappearing from view, the overwhelming scent of artificially constructed pine and soil masking his scent in an instant. </p><p>Chan only has a moment to process all of that before he has to tuck and roll to the side, one of Minho’s fans missing him by inches as the other captain bears down on him. Closer to the forest’s edge, Changbin’s locked in with Hyunjin, the two of them trading blows at a speed that can barely be tracked with the naked eye. Somewhere above them, Jae is hollering.</p><p>Something settles in Chan’s chest as he turns to punch Minho, landing a blow on his shoulder that unbalances Minho enough to send him reeling. He recovers quickly though, snapping one of his fans in Chan’s direction as three wickedly sharp spines eject themselves from the fan’s curve, aimed to impale. Chan catches them with his gauntlets, hisses as the force causes a shock to race all the way up his arm, numbing his fingertips for a split second before he sends it right back at Minho. </p><p>Without pause, Minho snaps his fingers with a spark of amethyst and Chan launches himself into the air, winds screaming to his call as a small, dense black orb appears where he’d been standing. Even in the air, he can feel the tug of the tiny but genuine black hole that Minho’s Semblance has fashioned, though he’s able to pull away before it can pull him into its decaying orbit.</p><p>“Tch,” Minho huffs, but it’s all sly amusement and mischief. “Come on, Chan, it’s no fun when you run.” He snaps his fingers again, and this time multiple black orbs appear in a ring, trying to wall Chan in with inescapable gravity.</p><p>“Well… Fine then,” Chan says as he drops to the ground, cocking his gauntlets and firing off a set of explosives. They prove ineffective against the black holes, but the impact of them hitting the ground gives him a chance to bring his Semblance to full force, calling up hurricane winds around him. They shield him, catching debris and detritus before the black holes can devour everything, and then he forces it all outwards. </p><p>Minho has to leap behind a boulder to avoid the sharp cut of the winds themselves or any of the rubble they’ve caught. It breaks his concentration on all the black holes and they fizzle out in an instant, but he doesn’t look too fussed when he pops back up from behind the boulder. </p><p>“See? This is so much better.”</p><p>Chan has to admit: Minho is impressive.</p><p>They maintain this pace for longer than Chan anticipates. Chan’s able to fend Minho off with finesse, but finds gaining ground on him trickier than expected. Minho is steady, calculated, and Chan’s reminded that prior to his time at Gembright, Minho had studied under Atlas’ more militaristic methods. It shows now, as Minho knows when to press and when to retreat; knows when to use his Semblance with devastating efficiency. </p><p>It keeps Chan on his toes, something he’d appreciate more in other circumstances. He knocks Minho back, pulling on a wind whistling through the forest to slam into the other’s chest and causing him to stagger back with a breathless wheeze.</p><p>“<em>Chan’s form is phenomenal,</em>” Jae comments. “<em>You’d think he’d be limited to close range combat, but he’s made some smart sacrifices with his weaponry and his Semblance control is impeccable. No wonder he’s the favorite to win this year.</em>”</p><p>“<em>I can’t say much without being heavily biased,</em>” Younghyun says, sounding a bit sheepish, “<em>but I think it’s safe to say that Chan is exceptional.</em>”</p><p>For a moment, Chan and Minho are grappling with each other – Chan trying to forcibly remove one of Minho’s fans while Minho tries to stab him with the other – and the next, everything is different.</p><p>Chan hasn’t been playing the closest attention to the others. Levanter had trained countless hours on countless strategies, all three of them instinctively knowing how to adapt to nearly any scenario. Time spent in the Barren has only served to further attune Levanter and Chan trusts his teammates in spades. It’s no different now, as Jisung’s focusing his efforts on aiding Changbin against Hyunjin, working to wear him down or catch him off guard.</p><p>It’s working, as they’ve pinned Hyunjin down in the center of the arena, Jisung blocking off Hyunjin’s escape route to the forest with rapid missile fire while Changbin sweeps to the left to try and snipe at Hyunjin’s undefended side like a sacred nightmare. Hyunjin has a narrow chance to escape, until Jisung leans over the side of the mountain, pressing his palm against the stone surface as an absolutely massive holding rune was released, running down the cliff and to the ground to cement Hyunjin in place, leaving him vulnerable to the two fireballs that Changbin is channeling into his rifles, still haloed in flames.</p><p>There’s a moment where everything clicks into place, where it looks like Levanter has gained the edge, something Chan and Minho see at the same time.</p><p>“Ah, fuck,” Minho hisses, before wrenching out of Chan’s grip. He’s off like a shot before Chan can catch him, hand thrown out as he barrels straight into Changbin. Just beyond them, a gigantic blackhole appears at the edge of the arena, strong enough that several nearby trees begin to uproot themselves, smaller boulders also unearthing themselves to answer the immense call of gravity. </p><p>With Minho unbalancing him, there’s little Changbin can do as they’re yanked through the air, both of them hitting the outer arena barrier with a thud and a ripple.</p><p>Above the arena, the bullhorn blares twice. </p><p>“<em>Woooow</em>,” Jae’s voice fills the air, surprise clear in his voice. “<em>After an impressive display of skills, the numbers have fallen. Changbin of Team Levanter has been knocked out of bounds by a decisive move from Minho of Team Glow, though Minho has also been eliminated. I guess that means he’s been… self-knocked out of bounds? Interesting!</em>”</p><p>“<em>Sacrificing yourself for your teammates is a noble act for a captain,”</em> Younghyun agrees, more calmly. “<em>It’s a difficult choice to make under the pressure of combat. We’ll see if it was worth it.</em>”</p><p>For a split second, Chan freezes, stunned. He hadn't expected Minho to be so impulsive, so <em>reckless</em>, so off the books after following so much of Atlas’ rigid methodology. Taking out Changbin so swiftly is something that Chan can grudgingly applaud.</p><p>It seems the rookies are full of surprises.</p><p>There’s no time to dwell on that, though, as Jisung flips off the cliff to land next to him. Similarly, Hyunjin shifts from where he’d been pushed to the brink, spinning the scythe by his side as he eyes the two warily. Hyunjin’s stamina has always been his greatest struggle during his time at Gembright and it seems to still hold true. He’s winded, panting even as he assesses the situation.</p><p>Felix is still nowhere to be seen.</p><p>“The cliff’s unstable now,” Jisung mutters. He doesn’t elaborate; doesn’t need to, as Chan catches on to the plan.</p><p>“Go,” Chan says in agreement, giving Jisung a quick high five before turning to face Hyunjin. </p><p>Hyunjin keeps to the edges of the forest, cautious after the fall of his captain, but Chan doesn’t give him much room to breath, leaping forward to engage. There’s a sharp screech as Chan’s gauntlets slam against the flat of Doom Toll’s blade, Hyunjin grunting with the effort of shoving Chan away.</p><p>And so it continues. </p><p>Hyunjin doesn’t have the steady demeanor that Minho wears like a second skin, but he’s a powerful fighter, matching Chan blow for blow and using Doom Toll’s superior length to force distance between the two of them. </p><p>“I take back every nice thing I’ve ever said about you,” Hyunjin says sullenly as he whips Doom Toll up to level at Chan, bracing the heel of his boot against the scythe blade to steady his aim as he fires off a flurry of bullets – he’s a damn good shot, managing to snipe Chan straight in the gut twice, though the rifle embedded in the polearm is not nearly powerful enough to crack Chan’s aura – Chan will maybe have a nasty bruise tonight, but not much beyond that.</p><p>“But you’re my favorite,” Chan says with an exaggerated coo, grinning in amusement as he blocks the next barrage of bullets fired.</p><p>“Don’t lie to me like that,” Hyunjin deadpans, before changing tack and swinging straight for Chan’s neck. Chan only barely evades potential decapitation with a scream of winds vaulting him up above Hyunjin’s reach. “We all know that’s Felix.”</p><p>“Not you <em>too,</em>” Chan groans, even as he socks Hyunjin square in the jaw. They haven’t even been back for two days, he doesn’t deserve this.</p><p>It’s tricky, trying to push Hyunjin towards the base of the mountain without putting himself in danger. Chan has to dance between the skillful twist of Hyunjin’s scythe before he manages to find the right moment. The black tendrils of Chan’s Semblance bind a powerful wind to his fist, adding firepower as he punches forward, gauntlet slamming into Hyunjin’s shoulder and unbalancing him enough that Chan can follow up with another hard hit to his chest that sends him flying back against the base of the mountain.</p><p>“<em>Now</em>,” Chan orders, but Jisung doesn’t need to be told twice as he twists Cometfall until the rocket launcher splits into a double barrel and fires off two missles into the mountain itself. The cliff that Jisung had mentioned earlier fragments, craggy boulders raining down on Hyunjin, who’s too disoriented to get out of the way in time, a small plume of dust kicking in wake of the small avalanche. </p><p>When the dust clears, Chan can see Hyunjin slumped within the debris.</p><p>“Holy shit,” Jisung coughs, trying to wave away some of the dirt in the air. “Maybe that was overkill.”</p><p>Chan’s about to reply when his ears prick forward and then he immediately grabs Jisung, yanking him out of the way as a bolt of lightning strikes right where his teammate had been standing.</p><p>“<em>Ohhhhh,</em>” Jae crows above them. “<em>What do we have here?</em>”</p><p>Chan and Jisung both turn to see Felix standing at the edge of the forest. He’s fresh, pristine, and untouched, tails lazily bobbing behind him as he eyes the two of them, grinning impishly. One of the chains of his extra tails is curled around his right arm, accompanied by the crackle of yellow lightning.</p><p>It’s almost absurd when Felix crouches lower, white ears perking upwards before something wicked sharp glints in his eyes and he sticks his tongue out – it’s a blatant taunt, bratty and playful. </p><p>Chan’s racing after him before he even realizes it, plunging into the thick forest cover after Felix.</p><p>Behind him, Jisung splutters, clearly taken aback by Chan’s abandonment. “Are you serious? What the fuck!”</p><p>Maybe Chan will apologize later, but he doesn’t falter as he goes barreling after Felix, intent on cornering him. It’s a hunt and that has Chan surging forward with ardor at the prospect of catching Felix, something that has Chan’s blood pumping red-hot and eager.</p><p>Felix proves difficult to catch. He’s enchantingly graceful as he leaps from tree to tree, barely disturbing the lush foliage as he evades Chan. It proves troublesome to close the gap as shards of ice fly Chan’s way, followed by a whip of fire and another lightning bolt, forcing him back down to the forest floor as Felix darts away, vanishing along the treeline with a wisp of white.</p><p>Chan doesn’t push. There’s something about the thrill, something about the action of chasing Felix that is satisfying in and of itself. He doesn’t want to rush to the finish line just yet. It’s pure indulgence, something that shouldn’t be allowed in the tournament, something that shouldn’t be allowed in <em>Chan</em>, but Chan thinks he’s allowed this one moment of weakness.</p><p>Without the rabid frenzy, some of Jae’s commentary filters to Chan’s ears as he gives chase. “<em>Brian,</em>” the man says conversationally. “<em>Why don’t you explain what’s going on with those tails, for our audience.</em>”</p><p>“<em>Oh, uh… yeah, sure,</em>” Younghyun says, sounding uncharacteristically flustered. “<em>Right, so. As everyone should know, most Hunters utilize Dust when they need to modify their weapons or get a boost during combat. Dust is a mineral primarily found in Mantle, with each different strain of Dust providing a specific type of modification, typically relating to elements.</em>”</p><p>“<em>But that’s not Dust</em>,” Jae prompts as Chan skids to a stop, ears pricked forward as he loses sight of Felix.</p><p>“<em>No, what Felix is utilizing are compressed gemstones,</em>” Brian continues. Chan crouches, tail low to the ground as he tries to tune the commentary out to catch a trail on Felix. “<em>Dust, either in its crystal form or when refined, is consumed upon use. Compressed gemstones operate similarly, but instead of being their own finite source of energy that reacts to a Hunter’s aura, they draw from a person’s aura directly and thus are more permanent.</em>”</p><p>Younghyun pauses and then adds thoughtfully, “<em>If I’m not mistaken, this is actually an inherited combat style – very similar to how the Yang and Schnee families pass down their Semblances. I believe Felix’s mother has a total of nine tails.</em>”</p><p>There’s the tiniest change inside the forest, the air shifting as if about to shriek, and Chan brings up a solid wall of wind just in time to deflect the barrage of ice shards Felix pelts at him from where he’s perched on the limb of a nearby oak.</p><p>“Hey, Pixie.”</p><p>“I suppose there’s no surprising you,” Felix says, lips tugging into a small pout of frustration. It’s stupidly adorable, even if they’re in the middle of trying to beat the shit out of each other. “Ugh.” </p><p>With that, he turns and vanishes back through the forest bowers.</p><p>Chan is quick to give chase with a renewed hunger licking up his spine, eyes on the skies to keep track of Felix.</p><p>It’s only his excellent reflexes that keep him from slamming straight into Jisung, skidding to a halt as Jisung bursts out of a bush, having finally caught up with his team captain.</p><p>“I will have you know that I am never going to let this go,” Jisung says, poking an accusing finger against Chan’s chest.</p><p>Chan can’t help the sheepish grin that curves across his face. “I know,” he says, bumping shoulders with Jisung. “Sorry, sorry.”</p><p>“Liar,” Jisung replies, but it’s without malice. “I don’t think we can corner him in here.”</p><p>“Oh, absolutely not,” Chan admits. He’d known that going in.</p><p>“Well...” Jisung trails off and waves Cometfall between them. “Plan B?”</p><p>“Yeah,” Chan agrees, bumping fists with Jisung before they split again, Jisung vanishing back into the bushes as Chan returns to hunting Felix down, carefully skirting towards the outside edges of the forest.</p><p>(“<em>Look at that teamwork</em>,” Jae says cheerfully. “<em>I dunno what any of that meant, but clearly they do. Look at Jisung go!</em>”)</p><p>At one point, Felix gets daring, tumbling down to the forest floor and actually sliding right past Chan, barely escaping Chan’s grasp by mere fingertips. </p><p>“Catch me if you can,” Felix teases lightly, and Chan is really going to have to unpack the effect that has on him when this is all over, as Felix tries to set Chan on fire and then vanishes back off into the shadows.</p><p>“<em>I feel like it’s necessary to point out that Felix’s Semblance is not actually speed-based.</em>” It’s Younghyun’s voice filling the air above the trees this time. “<em>This is his natural speed – it’s pretty impressive</em>.”</p><p>“<em>You’re fucking telling me</em>,” Jae snorts. “<em>The cameras can barely keep up with him.</em>”</p><p>“<em>Please stop swearing.</em>”</p><p>"<em>No. Now, what do you think Chan's doing?</em>"</p><p>Chan hits the very edge of the forest, eyeing the protective barrier between him and the crowds. He can see Changbin and Minho sitting side by side just inside the tunnel that leads down into the tunnels they’d emerged from before the match, but he doesn’t dwell beyond a small salute before he turns back to face the forest itself again.</p><p>One can’t see the forest <em>or</em> the trees, right?</p><p>Dropping to one knee, Chan takes a deep breath and then reaches into the depths of himself. He’s always loved the feeling of his aura – it’s dark, but it's also <em>warm</em>, as the physical manifestation of his soul. He thinks it’s a bit like love and it surges to his call. </p><p>His aura turns the air around him shimmering and black as he flexes his fingers. Everything else drops away as he thrusts his hand out and then yanks it back to his chest as every last wind answers his call. Some of the audience might even find their very breath stolen as all rush to Chan, to coil in his palm, to tighten to the smallest knot of shrieking wind as he closes his fingers tight into a fist and just holds it all in for a moment.</p><p>For a single heartbeat, there’s silence.</p><p>When Chan slaps his palm to the ground, every wind explodes from his fingertips, roaring with the power of a storm, of a thousand storms. The destruction is immediate and complete, as these trees were never meant to withstand the fury of the wild, they were too refined, too cultivated. The forest bows to Chan and when the winds finally die, the entire half of the arena is in ruin before him.</p><p>“<em><span class="u">Holy shit</span>,</em>” Jae breathes out, barely louder than whisper.</p><p>Chan quietly makes his way through the ruined forest, tail held high and keen eyes scanning for movement. On the other side, from where the mountain still stands, Jisung clambers over the peak and shoots him two thumbs up, before sliding down the side with ease, having been shielded easily by the mountain’s bulk.</p><p>(Chan’s not sure he could move a mountain even if he were to feel like a god.)</p><p>Nearer to the center of the forest, there’s the creak of broken wood and a sizable tree rises, pushed from the ground by a pillar of ice as Felix slides into view. Finally he shows signs of battle, with twigs now sticking in his fur and dirt smeared across his left side from cheek to hip. He staggers for a step, looking disoriented and scuffed before he locks eyes with Chan and focuses. </p><p>Grinning crookedly, Chan stalks forward. A whimsical chase through a forest sounds an awful lot like a dream and no dream could last forever.</p><p>Felix stumbles back into the center of the arena, trying to get his bearings, and then nearly falls over as one foot lands right atop a holding rune, a present from Jisung when he’d left to find cover. </p><p>He tries to twist around, realizing just a moment too late as Jisung’s fist, glowing bright amber hits the ground. An exploding rune, truly massive in size, expands from Jisung’s touch, racing along the ground and interlocking with the holding rune. Exploding runes that were triggered by movement, and Felix, still imbalanced from the collapse of the forest, is just a touch too unsteady to keep on one foot while caught in both runes. </p><p>“<em>You know, I think they've overlooked something,</em>” Jae comments, just as Felix’s other foot hits the interlocked runes.</p><p>There’s a flash of brilliant green and then the middle of the arena explodes. Chan has to pull up another wind to shield himself, though he still feels the roar of heat, as if it’s about to singe the tips of his ears off.</p><p>The bullhorn blasts  as the flames fizzle and die down. Chan flicks his fingers to send a gentle breeze to clear the smoke, and then freezes as the bullhorn blasts again, signalling the fall of a second competitor.</p><p>Jae had been right.</p><p>Hyunjin stands in the center of the arena with a final emerald glow, one arm wrapped around Felix to pull him close in a protective embrace, the other holding Doom Toll to where the curve of the scythe’s blade is hooked around Jisung’s middle, pinning him in place within the blast radius. Similar to Hyunjin, Jisung’s skin holds a burst of amber gold before shattering gently as the boy slumps to the ground unconscious, aura depleted.</p><p>They were both out. </p><p>In hindsight, it made sense. A risky strategy at best, but one that had worked on Levanter like a charm. Hyunjin’s Semblance allows him to siphon energy from his surroundings to replenish his aura, giving him a chance to recover from the cliff Jisung had collapsed on him enough to shield Felix from the worst of the explosion – Chan and Jisung had both been too distracted by Felix’s reemergence to realize that that they’d never actually heard the sound of Hyunjin’s elimination. </p><p>It’s a stupid move, really, but even more stupid to have fallen for it, and Chan had gone after Felix without hesitation, without a second thought.</p><p>Would this have even worked on anyone else but Chan?</p><p>Felix is gentle as he slowly lowers Hyunjin to the ground before stepping away to put some distance between the two left standing and their fallen teammates. “So it’s just us left,” he says, voice rasping even more than usual, affected by the ash and smoke.</p><p>“It is,” Chan says, choosing to put aside the prickle of shame creeping up his throat. He'll have time for that later. </p><p>For now… For now, there’s Felix.</p><p>“I wasn’t expecting you,” he adds, choosing honesty. He’d envisioned Changbin being the one to trap Felix in his antics, that it would come down to Chan and Minho, captain to captain. Things had clearly gone awry, with Minho taking a risk to eliminate Changbin and Hyunjin expending his last resources to ensure Felix could continue instead of facing Chan himself.</p><p>“Well, I guess I’m full of surprises,” Felix says as he finally draws Annihilation. He’s covered in even more grime now, something having cut his face in several places during the chaos of the explosion. They’re all superficial, but there’s one particularly long cut on his left cheek, a drop of blood sluggishly running along its length towards the corner of his mouth.</p><p>Chan grins, something feral clawing its way up his spine as winds come to his call, wrapping around his boots and twisting to fit against his gauntlets. “You promised you’d show me what you’ve got,” he said as he brought Shatterstrike up. “Don’t let me down, Pixie.”</p><p>Lightning sparks at the tip of Felix’s rapier as he brings it up to point at Chan. That same wild energy is still there, still thrumming where Chan ends and Felix begins, and Felix looks just as thrilled as he flicks his tongue out, catching the drop of blood that comes to rest at the corner of his lips, eyes never leaving Chan’s.</p><p>There’s a moment to breathe, the barest chance to blink, and then they launch at each other, meeting with a violent collision.</p><p>Chan catches Felix’s rapier with a gauntlet, gritting his teeth as lightning races down his forearm. He pushes through, bringing his knee up to slam into Felix’s side, and Felix just barely manages to twist away in time to avoid the blow, ripping Annihilation free in order to slash at the ground instead. The tail with the emerald gemstone whips around to wrap along Felix’s arm, with a green blaze running along the rapier and into the ground. Chan has to leap into the skies to avoid the tangle of briars that sprout from the ground, attempting to swallow him whole.</p><p>Felix can’t take flight like Chan, racing up the still growing vines instead. They clash, again and again, Felix’s jaw set in stubborn determination as Chan tries to throw him from the growing pillar of plantlife. It’s so starkly different than the few times they’d sparred all that time ago, back when Felix had been quiet and shy and so achingly new that Chan had been afraid to break him. There is nothing so blushingly timid now, as Felix takes a flying leap from the briars, twisting in the air as he plummets to bear down on Chan. </p><p>The sun glints off the silver of Felix’s rapier and then Chan feels the sting as Annihilation pierces his aura and bites into his flesh. It’s barely more than a scratch against his shoulder, but it’s <em>blood</em>, and it brings such a dizzying rush of euphoria that Chan nearly misses the window presented to grab Felix by the ankle and hurl him to the ground.</p><p>It’s not a successful ploy. Instead, Felix catches himself on the edge of the still growing briars, flipping himself back up to stand on the branch and landing on his feet with grace, more cat than fox before he’s hurtling up to meet Chan again, this time propelled up to the skies by spikes of ice growing from the vines. He meets Chan blow for blow as they spiral higher and higher, towards the open roof of the stadium, towards the yawning skies.</p><p>This Felix feels completely new. He’s engaging now, forgoing the playful duck and weave from before, all savage danger and biting sharpness, and he’s still so very fast.</p><p>But.</p><p>But Chan is faster.</p><p>With the winds at his beck and call, Chan’s reflexes outpace Felix’s, Felix losing ground as Chan pushes and pushes, driving him close to the edge of the sheet of ice he’s using as a platform. Chan’s long since forgotten the crowds watching them, too caught up in satisfaction. Felix fights with a beauty that leaves Chan dazzled – has surprised Chan so many times during this match that Chan can only feel pride at how far Felix had come in such a short amount of time.</p><p>It’s unfortunate that there’s still a tournament to finish.</p><p>A moment later, Chan catches Felix by the hilt of his rapier, fingers wrapped around the other boy’s wrist. “I’m really sorry about this,” he apologizes, before wrenching Felix off his icy platform, dragging him into the open air where Felix had no chance of catching his fall.</p><p>Still, Chan doesn’t leave it up to chance, dropping Felix and then wrapping himself up in another hurricane as he rockets down on Felix.  </p><p>Felix doesn’t give up. He manages to orient himself, falling on his back so he can face Chan, still gripping Annihilation. </p><p>For the first time, Felix’s eyes turn iridescent as several of his freckles blaze bright – some on his right temple and cheek, with an especially bright one above his left eye. The air around him grows hazy as if with a glowing heat, with that unmistakable sheen of blues and greens and purples all wrapped around Felix as his Semblance takes shape.</p><p>Then that light flickers, dimming for a moment, before inexplicably going out. It’s all Chan needs as he slams his fist straight into Felix’s chest. It’s brutal and unflinching and Chan feels something give way beneath the blow and <em>holy shit, </em>that might have been Felix’s ribs.</p><p>Felix goes limp and hits the ground with a thud as his aura shatters around him.</p><p>Finally, all is still in the arena.</p><p>The bullhorn blasts one final time and Chan registers the absolute furor of the crowd as the audience surges to their feet, shrieking and cheering. He can hear the chanting of his name, even as the medical team rushes to attend to Felix. Though it’s Chan’s instinct to go to him as well, he stays out of the way of the professionals, instead turning to face the stadium.</p><p>He’s won tournament matches before, has even passed through Platinum's preliminary match the previous year, but the absolute adoration he’s met with now is new and sensational, and he sweeps into a quick bow.</p><p>“<em>And there you have it, folks</em>,” Jae’s voice booms in the air. “<em>After an absolutely stunning match against some incredibly talented hopefuls, Team Levanter wins the match with Chan Bang as the last one standing and Levanter advances to the semi-finals. Please give it up for Team Glow, Team Levanter, and Chaaaaaaan!</em>”</p><p>The chanting of his name grows louder and Chan can’t help but beam as he straightens, waving at the crowds as they stomp and cheer for him.</p><p>***</p><p>Changbin and Minho are waiting for him when he finally leaves the arena – it takes longer than expected to leave, with the Headmaster coming down to congratulate him personally and Jae springing a spontaneous interview with him as this match is the final match of the day. </p><p>Changbin actually throws his arms around him in a bear hug, squeezing tight. “Jisung’s going to kill you,” he laughs, but he’s shaking Chan in joy anyway. “You did so fucking great out there.”</p><p>Minho’s slightly more restrained, though he bears no signs of resentment as he claps Chan on the back, face scrunched up in a bright smile. “That was pretty cool.”</p><p>“Thanks,” Chan manages, finally starting to wind down from the high of it all. His heart is thudding against his ribcage and his tail is twitching unconsciously – the exhaustion hasn’t quite hit yet, but Chan can feel it on the horizon like a tidal wave coming to crash on his shores. </p><p>A tournament staffer appears at his shoulder, gently prompting him to follow her as he needs to get checked off by a medic before he’s free to leave.</p><p>Changbin releases him. “Find us later, yeah? We’ll get the others.”</p><p>It’s a quick check-up – Chan’s wounds are all glancing and superficial, the medic barely needs to use his Semblance to restore Chan back to normal. “You’re in excellent condition,” the medic assures him with a warm smile. “Congratulations on the victory.”</p><p>“Thanks,” Chan echoes, and then asks before he can stop himself, “Hey there was another faunus, did he…?”</p><p>“Oh, Felix Lee?” The medic taps a finger to his chin. “I didn’t sign off on him, but he left like… maybe twenty minutes ago. A few broken ribs, some nastry scratches, nothing too major to fix. He’s back to full health, I promise.”</p><p>“Ah… that’s good.” Chan feels a flood of relief sweep over him. “Thanks.”</p><p>With that, he heads to the showers to scrub the grime from his body, and that’s when everything comes grinding to a halt. He finds his entire body shuddering as the heat of the water seeps in, needing a moment to switch gears from brutal fighter to just Chan. The adrenaline leaving his system has him reeling, chest empty, and he sinks to the floor, his head resting back against the shower wall with a gentle <em>thunk</em>. </p><p>He sits there in a mindless haze beneath the spray of water, rubbing conditioner into his tail, simply floating until his fingers and toes are extremely pruney.</p><p>Changbin and Minho have both left by the time he’s free to go, but Younghyun’s waiting for him, handing over his duffle bag. </p><p>“Changbin said to tell you they’d be at the bonfires again,” his mentor says, leaning against the wall as Chan tugs on a comfortable change of clothes. He’s no longer sporting any injuries, but there’s still an ache that comes from such a long-drawn battle now that the adrenaline has worn off. “You did good, Chan.”</p><p>Smiling, Chan just shakes his head in quiet amusement. “You say that now,” he says. Later, Younghyun would turn serious and Chan would have to explain every single mistake and flaw found during the match. Considering the biggest mistake he’d made… well. That’s a conversation he doesn’t really want to have with Younghyun, despite their close bond.</p><p>“I won’t ~harsh your vibe~,” Younghyun says, grimacing even as the words come out of his mouth. “Jae told me to say that, I hate it.”</p><p>“Foe-mie,” Chan teases gently, shouldering the bag before giving Younghyun a nod. “See you tomorrow.” They’ll have a quick warmup before the semi-finals match in the morning with Changbin, and if all goes to plan, Chan will be prepping for the final match set for the day after. Chan doesn’t dwell on it too much now though, too worn out for excitement or anticipation. </p><p>For now, he wants to see his friends.</p><p>He checks his scroll as he leaves the stadium, cap tugged low to give him a semblance of anonymity. There’s a slew of messages, all congratulating him on his first tournament win. The distance to home had been too far for his family to make it, but his mother has sent him a dozen messages, littered with emojis and enthusiastic punctuation, and it brings the softest warmth to his chest as he reads through them, followed by texts from his father and siblings. He misses them so very much.</p><p>There’s also messages from friends. Like Chan’s family, Bambam couldn’t make it back to Gembright in time for the Vernalys Festival, but he’s sent multiple video messages from him and his Hunting squad in the past hour. There’s more from Lisa, Chaeyoung, Yuto, Sungjin, and others, and Chan will have to reply to them all later, but for now, he reads them and smiles before seeking out his teammates and friends.</p><p>***</p><p>Dusk has fallen when Chan finally finds them by the bonfires, Minho with an easy arm slung around Jisung’s shoulders while Hyunjin and Changbin sit opposite, bickering about some nonsense.</p><p>“And the hero arrives,” Minho calls out, waving Chan closer. “We thought they’d kidnapped you or something.”</p><p>“Had so much gunk in my tail,” Chan replies as he makes his way over, unsubtle as he checks Jisung over, needing to assuage himself that Jisung is fine. Jisung looks more than fine, completely fresh and untouched by the events of the match now that all is said and done, the medical team having clearly taken very good care of him. Hyunjin is doing just as well from the looks of it, judging by the way he’s now wrestling with Changbin, though he’s at risk of being unseated.</p><p>Scoffing lightly at Chan’s attentions, Jisung swats affectionately at his captain’s hip. “Come on, don’t fuss, you’re not my dad. We’re here to <em>party</em>.”</p><p>Chan laughs but doesn’t make to sit down just yet, hesitating. There’s no sign of Felix and while Chan knows that categorically the fox boy is fine, his absence opens up the door for a tendril of anxiety.</p><p>It must show on his face though, because Minho’s eyes are understanding as he looks at Chan. “He just needs some quiet after things like this,” he explains gently. “He’ll join us when he’s ready.”</p><p>Chan’s eyes are instinctively drawn to the clocktower on the other side of campus, glowing silver where it rises above the academy like a second moon. “I’ll… I’ll be right back,” he says, and they all send him their own knowing smile as he ducks away from the bonfires.</p><p>When he finally makes it up the tower, Felix is there, sitting beneath the clock face, feet dangling over the edge. Like Chan, he’s dressed for comfort, swimming in an oversized hoodie that looks strangely familiar, his pink hair peeking out from the oversized garment to make him look sleepily tousled. He turns as Chan’s footsteps echo on the marble, eyes wide and a touch unfocused. </p><p>Like many other things, this place is something Chan shouldn’t rightfully know about the other. That Felix comes here when he feels overwhelmed or when he needs some space. It’s an awfully intimate detail, even if the reason he knows is because he’d seen Felix pelt up here after a fight with Hyunjin and had followed to check up on him, finding the younger boy huddled beneath the clock face, fighting back tears.</p><p>It may have been their first real bonding moment, Chan realizing that Felix was homesick, a feeling he knew all too well himself.</p><p>“I won’t stay,” Chan says quickly, holding his hands up in front of him, as if Felix is a wild creature on the verge of spooking and not the boy who’d tried to gut him mere hours before, but there’s truth to that. Felix looks so fucking fragile in that moment and Chan’s afraid to break him in ways that can’t be fixed. </p><p>“I just…” He swallows and lowers his hands, wills them to keep steady because he can’t afford to be clumsy or careless. “I just wanted to check up on you.”</p><p>Felix blinks owlishly, disconnected, taking a moment to focus in on Chan before he smiles, and it’s like the blooming of spring, dazzling and warm. “You can stay if you want,” he reassures Chan quietly, patting the spot next to him. “It’s just… it’s really loud. Down there.” </p><p>“Yeah,” Chan agrees and settles himself next to Felix. </p><p>It’s only once he gets close enough that he realizes why the hoodie looks familiar. It’s <em>his.</em> It’s the one he’d thought he’d lost at a carnival that had swept into town right before Levanter had left for the Barren, with extra long sleeves and an inner layer of fleece.</p><p>He wonders if Felix knows that it’s his.</p><p>He’s not sure what it means if Felix does, and like so many things he’s holding inside of himself, Chan sets it aside for another day. There’s no rush to figure things out. He wants to take his time.</p><p>They sit in silence, companionable and warm, except for the reason that Chan had come still sitting heavy in his chest. He shifts, trying to figure out the best way to broach the topic, tail thudding behind him. </p><p>“I’m fine,” Felix says before Chan can untangle his thoughts. He looks over, still as warm as the spring rain, and Chan is filled with a storm of blossoms. “I know you worry... and… I want you to know you don’t have to, Chan. I would have been mad if you’d pulled your punches.”</p><p>It’s in that moment that it occurs to Chan that this thing, this connection they’ve always had, it’s not a one-sided thing, and that maybe Felix understands Chan in a way that only Felix can. </p><p>“Okay,” he agrees, because underneath the fluttering in his stomach and the warmth in his chest is the admiration he holds for this tiny boy. Felix’s chances of victory had been slim to none and he’d still fought tooth and nail for himself and his team.</p><p>Felix’s tail swishes, the chains back in their dormant state and jingling gently at the movement.</p><p>The sound surfaces a question that had been nagging at the corner of Chan’s brain. “Felix,” Chan begins slowly, tilting his head in curiosity so he’s looking at the other again. “Why didn’t you use your Semblance? I saw you about to, but you stopped.”</p><p>Felix barks out, his laughter squeaky and surprised. “Oh right,” he says, sounding unexpectedly giddy. “It’s. Damn, it’s kind of stupid, Chan.”</p><p>“What do you mean?” Chan asks, frowning. “Nothing’s stupid, don’t say that.”</p><p>Felix waves him off, though not unkindly. “It’s just that the <em>timing</em> is so bad right now.” He’s as pink as his hair now, and Chan faintly registers that Felix is <em>blushing,</em> his ears giving it away even if his cheeks didn’t as they pin down against his head<em>.</em></p><p>“I don’t get it.”</p><p>Biting his lip, Felix points up to the sky, his aura sparking faintly as he traces out a constellation, the same curve of stars that had appeared among his freckles earlier. “The spring equinox falls right on the cusp of Aries and Aries is… A lot.” Felix keeps chewing on his lower lip between words and Chan is valiantly trying not to be driven to distraction at the way it slowly reddens. “I still, uh… I still struggle sometimes. With controlling it. I got, like, <em>super</em> aggro this morning. Minho and I agreed it wasn’t worth the risk of hurting anyone.” </p><p>Chan can’t stop the wince that tugs at his face, the way that explanation stabs into him. “<em>Shit, </em>Felix.”</p><p>“It’s not like that,” Felix protests, covering his mouth with one hand as he bats at Chan’s shoulder, both playful and flustered. “You’d never be like that. I trust you.”</p><p>“... Oh.” And damn if that doesn’t render Chan speechless, having to tear his gaze away because what could he possibly say to that?</p><p>They lapse back into silence, just gazing out at Gembright. The academy is beautiful and glittering in the nighttime, lit up like someone had plucked stars out of the sky just for the night and had asked the moon to lend her gentle glow to the marble and fountains and winding paths.</p><p>“I love it up here,” Felix murmurs, as if he can hear Chan’s thoughts. “It just always looks so splendid. You miss all the details when you’re up close, like you’re… like you’re too small to see it down there.”</p><p>Chan just hums softly, the melody of Felix’s voice fitting into the empty spaces of the clocktower in a way that makes it easy to stay quiet. Felix’s voice is soft and low and so achingly beautiful, Chan doesn’t want to cause dissonance with his own.</p><p>It happens before Chan realizes. The scent hits him first – the lightning strike and the sweeping clouds and the wildflowers – but then Felix is resting his head on Chan’s shoulder, like that’s somewhere safe for him to be, and suddenly Chan’s chest is bursting. </p><p>It’s the most painfully beautiful thing he’s ever felt.</p><p>“Can we stay here for a while longer?” Felix asks, barely above a whisper, tucked against Chan like the most precious thing in the world.</p><p>“Of course,” Chan answers, because of course, of course, of course, they could always stay. Chan’s hands are still at risk of being clumsy and careless, but at this moment, they’re steady as he wraps an arm around Felix, because he’ll make this a safe place for Felix to be, always.</p><p>They’ve never been quite like this before and there’s something about it, something about the way it makes Chan want to cradle this moment in his hands and hold it to his heart, that makes him bold enough to do what he does next.</p><p>“Felix?”</p><p>“Hm?”</p><p>Chan can’t help but smile as Felix scrunches his face up as he tries to look at Chan, still nestled against his shoulder. “I’m hoping to head back home between graduation and my first assignment… do you want to see if we can go together?”</p><p>“Oh…” Felix’s mouth holds that shape for a moment, eyes wide as he searches Chan’s face for something. Chan holds his breath under the scrutiny, wondering if Felix will spook.</p><p>But Felix must find what he’s looking for because he relaxes back against Chan’s side, going boneless and content as he looks back down at the academy. “Yeah,” he says, still so soft and heartbreakingly gentle. “I’d really like that.”</p><p>Chan’s heart is warm.</p><p>He still has a tournament to win and the boards to take and a sprawling life ahead of him, but Chan thinks that a part of him will always be here, suspended in time and space, hidden atop Gembright’s clocktower, with Felix tucked against his side.</p><p>There's nowhere else he’d rather be.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>And it's done! This turned into an unexpected beast, but I'm really happy I wrote and finished it. Sads that Jeongin and Seungmin couldn't appear in this fic, but if I can get around to the sequel pieces, they feature v heavily and are (imo) super super super cool hehe \o/</p><p>Thanks again for reading! ♥</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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